Industrial cleaning facility

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an industrial cleaning facility comprising at least one treatment chamber ( 8 ) which can be put in an open position or a closed position (operating position). To ensure that the treatment chamber ( 8 ) can be loaded and unloaded without difficulty and to permit easy adaptation to a discontinuous production line ( 2; 3 ), the treatment chamber is divided up and consists of at least one lower part ( 13 ) and at least one upper part ( 26 ). The lower parts ( 13 ) can be fixed to a rotating column ( 9 ) having several arms and the upper parts ( 26 ) can be fixed to immovable holding posts ( 7 ) and be height-adjustable. In holding stations ( 7 ) the upper parts ( 26 ) and the lower parts ( 13 ) can be connected by means of lifting devices ( 38 ) and moved into the operating position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an industrial cleaning facility for the surfacetreatment of objects, especially of processed workpieces, with atreating medium, such as a cleaning liquid, steam, compressed air, heat,vacuum or the like, at least one processing chamber, which for loadingand unloading is brought into an opened position and, as workingposition, is brought into a closed position, being provided for thetreatment.

In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,317, a facility for washing and rinsing foodcontainers for equipment on board of aircraft or other means oftransportation is described. The facility, constructed for continuousoperation, contains a washing chamber and a rinsing chamber, which aredisposed in a straight row and each of which can be closed off byswinging doors. For transporting the food containers, moveable trailersare provided, which run on rails and, with the help of an endlessrevolving chain, are pulled in a row consecutively in a certain timecycle, step for step, through the facility. Each trailer of thisfacility has a hook and the chain has several catches, which aredisposed at a distance from another and to which the trailers arehooked. The distance of the catches from one another correspondsprecisely to the magnitude of a transporting step of the revolvingchain, by means of which a first trailer is transported from the washingchamber into the rinsing chamber and a second trailer is transportedinto the washing chamber. Each trailer is placed in the center of therespective chamber, so that the doors can be opened or closed. By meansof this construction of the facility, the trailers are guided at thechain, so that the required distance can be maintained. The exactpositioning of the trailers in the chambers depends on the control ofthe movement of the chain. In order to be able to operate this facility,an operator must always move back and forth from the loading side to theunloading side, which can still be justified economically in the case ofa partial load operation or for a small facility, such as this onewithout a drying step. For a full load operation or for a largeindustrial facility, however, the distances, which must be covered fromloading to unloading, are so large in the case of such an in-linefacility, that the use is not economically feasible.

DE 42 20 927 A1 discloses a continuous cleaning facility, with whichwashing boxes, which are permeable to the treating medium and disposedconsecutively in a row, are taken up. The known cleaning facility hasthree processing chambers, which are disposed consecutively, namely, acleaning chamber, a rinsing chamber and a drying chamber. The facilityis operated by transporting the container in the cleaning chamber andthe container in the rinsing chamber as well as the container in thedrying chamber jointly into the next station.

At the inlet and outlet openings of the processing chambers, lids ordoors are mounted, with which the chambers can be closed off during thetreatment phase.

In order to facilitate the transport of washing boxes from chamber tochamber, rollers and slide rails are mounted in the processing chambersand form a transporting segment. In each processing chamber, a rotationdevice is installed, which takes up the washing box and can be caused torotate by a motor in the longitudinal direction of the processingchamber, so that the washing box in the chamber is rotated during theprocessing phase. For this purpose, the washing box is closed off with alid, so that the material, being washed, cannot fall out.

The motor for driving the rotation device is mounted at the outer wallof the processing chamber and drives the rotation device over atransmission. Moreover, the operating facilities for the individualprocessing chambers, such as pumps, valves, dampers, control andregulating equipment are installed at or in the chambers and connectedover pipeline networks to the stationary devices of the facilities, suchas containers holding cleaning or rinsing agents, distillation equipmentand blowers for drying the processed materials.

During the processing phase, the material being processed, throughnozzles installed in the cleaning chamber, is exposed to a stream ofdetergent, with which the materials to be washed are freed from adheringoil-containing or fat-containing processing residues. Rotating thewashing basket results in good mixing, so that the detergent can wet allparts of the material to be washed. The processing phase in the rinsingchamber, in which the rinsing nozzles are installed, proceeds similarly.The material to be washed, which is wetted with the detergent solution,is exposed to a flow of rinsing material, which rinses off the detergentresidues adhering to the material to be processed. Here also, therinsing effect is improved by the rotation. Likewise, the rotation ofthe material to be washed improves the drying process.

The facility is completed with a continuous method for working up therinsing liquid by distillation, multiple use of the energy given off bythe distillation process, for example, for heating the cleaning and/orrinsing liquid or for heating the drying air. In addition, the materialbeing processed can be rinsed by immersion or spraying, blown off withcompressed air and dried by vacuum and/or infrared radiation and aqueousor hydrocarbon-containing washing liquids can be used.

The known facility has proven its value in practice. However, thefacility can be used effectively only if the material to be processed isfilled into special containers, which are permeable to the treatingmedium. These special containers are, for example, transporting boxes ofperforated sheet metal or lattice rods, because normal transportingboxes of sheet metal shield the material from the processing medium, sothat there is no intensive contact. Therefore, in the case of the knowncleaning facility, the material to be processed, which is brought alongin normal transporting boxes, is transferred into appropriate specialcontainers. This is cumbersome and time consuming, because it preventscontinuous processing and further processing of the materials.

DE 195 09 645 A1 discloses a washing facility, for which a washing zoneand a rinsing zone and a drying zone are disposed in an arc andpreferably in a circle and are connected with one another by means of atransporting segment. Furthermore, between the washing zone and thedrying zone, a loading and unloading zone are provided, with which aconnection is established between the drying zone and the washing zone.Accordingly, objects can be brought to the loading zone onto thetransporting segment and are transported in a circle and passconsecutively through the washing, rinsing and drying zones of thefacility. Finally, the objects leave the facility once again at theplace where they were brought into the facility in a dirty state.

A roller conveyor, disposed in the circle, or a turntable constructed asa screen or grid, on which the objects are transported, serves astransporting segment. Owing to the fact that the objects are broughtinto the facility at approximately the same place, where they are takenfrom the facility, one operator is sufficient for loading and unloading.In any case, the work of the operator is made easier, since longdistances no longer have to be covered in order to get from the loadingarea to the unloading area. What applies for the manual operation of theplant, applies of course also for automatic loading and unloading,integration into a manufacturing line being possible. In this case, themanufacturing line itself does not increase in length, because thecleaning facility is set up next to and not spatially within themanufacturing line. Overall, the facility requires little space, so thatit can be used even when space conditions are tight, inside or outside,for example, in a corner.

The facility is intended to be operated continuously and not cyclically.Furthermore, the objects cannot be moved while being processed; forexample, they cannot be rotated or brought into an oscillating motion inorder to experience processing all around with the processing medium. Inaddition, no support is provided for the objects on the transportingsegment, so that the objects, brought onto the conveying segment bymeans of the conveying and handling equipment, can change their positionduring the processing, so that the unloading is more difficult than theloading. With the known facility, it is also not possible to flood thechambers with the processing medium in order to be able to immerse theobject.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a cleaning facility, whichis an improvement with respect to the processing chamber and, inparticular, works without closing caps or doors and can be loaded andunloaded easily.

It is an object of the invention to provide an industrial cleaningfacility for the surface treatment of objects, especially of processedworkpieces, with a treating medium, such as a cleaning liquid, steam,compressed air, heat or the like, at least one processing chamber beingprovided for the treatment, which is brought into an open position forloading and unloading and into a closed position as a working position,which makes a precisely fixed mode of operation and a reliablefunctioning of the processing chamber possible, simplifies the handlingas well as the transport of the workpieces and improves the loading ofthe facility.

Pursuant to the invention, this objective is accomplished by means oftwo alternate cleaning facility embodiments.

The two embodiments relate to the use of the invention for differentstructural shapes and sizes of cleaning facilities. One embodiments isdirected more towards smaller facilities with one or two processingsteps, while the other embodiments is directed more to largerfacilities, which provide multi-step surface processing, such as, awashing step, a rinsing step and a drying step. Furthermore, additionalsteps, such as a pre-washing step, a pre-rinsing step or a clean rinsingstep can be provided. A separate processing chamber can be provided foreach processing step. Such a cleaning facility with many processingsteps is advantageously provided for the final cleaning of objects inorder, for example, to be able to supply a workpiece to a finalinstallation, while the smaller facility advantageously is used for theintermediate cleaning of workpieces, in order, for example, to freeworkpieces between two processing steps from coarse processing residues,such as oil, fat, shavings or chips. For this purpose, a small, compact,simply constructed and easily handled facility is created. Pursuant tothe invention, such a facility shall contain a stationary sub-assembly,which consists essentially of a stand or a gallows-like mast, at theupper end of which the one part of the processing chamber is rigidly,that is, immovably, attached and can be equipped with facilities, withwhich the processing medium is distributed over the workpiece. Thesefacilities can be spraying nozzles for a cleaning liquid, or airshowers, with which compressed air, with which the workpiece is blasted,is ejected. It is also within the scope of the invention that thisfacility is formed from steam jet nozzles or heating facilities fordrying. This stationary sub-assembly can interact with a mobilesub-assembly, which has a device for transporting the second part of theprocessing chamber and at least one seat for at least one workpiece.Advantageously, the seat is constructed so that it can be rotated orswivelled or provided with a driving mechanism. The part of theprocessing chamber, which can be moved with the transporting device, isa lower part; it can be constructed in the form of a tub or a containerand is supplemented by the first part of the processing chamber, whichis an upper part and can be constructed in the form of a hood. The lowerpart of the processing chamber can be shifted into a loading andunloading position with the transporting device. In the loading andunloading position, the object, a workpiece to be treated, is insertedinto the seat and the two parts (upper part and lower part) are broughtinto a mutually aligned position and assembled with the transportingdevice and brought into the working position, in which the processing ofthe object takes place. When the processing is ended, the lower part andthe upper part are separated from one another with the transportingdevice and the lower part is brought into the loading and unloadingposition, in which the object can be removed from the lower part. Thiscan be done manually or automatically. The facility can be equippedadvantageously with a processing chamber for a processing step. In thiscase, several such facilities with different processing steps, one ofwhich cleans (wet or dry), another of which rinses and yet anotherdries, can interact.

In a reverse arrangement, the height of the upper part, which is mountedon the stand or the gallows-like mast, can be adjusted with respect tothe lower part, in which case, the lower part can be immobile.Preferably, both parts are mounted movably, namely the upper part can beshifted or swivelled vertically with a lifting device and the lower parthorizontally with the transporting device. This has the advantage thatthe upper part can be separated easily from the lower part even if theprocessing chamber is constructed pressure-tight or vacuum-tight. Forloading and unloading the objects, the upper and lower parts can beshifted laterally to one another, so that the lower part can be loadedand unloaded conveniently. Objects, which protrude beyond the edge ofthe lower part, also do not hinder the assembly of the processingchamber.

Due to the further development of the invention a cyclic mode ofoperation of the facility becomes possible. While the processing chamberis being assembled from the upper part and the lower part, the secondlower part, in the loading and unloading station, can be loaded orunloaded with an object. By these means, the stoppage time of thefacility can be shortened. The transporting device can consist of atwo-arm rotatable column, to the arms of which the lower parts arefastened.

The stoppage time can be shortened even more in accordance with anadvantageous embodiment of the invention. While one object is beingprocessed in the processing chamber, for example, with a blast ofcompressed air, a different object can be loaded in a loading station,and a cleaned object removed from the unloading station.

Pursuant to the invention, the transporting device is formed from acolumn, to the three or six arms of which the lower parts are attached.For a facility with two processing chambers, a column with three armsand lower parts can also be used. The extra lower part can be loaded andunloaded by a loading and unloading station. A four-arm columnadvantageously can be equipped with two processing chambers and separateloading and unloading stations or with three processing chambers and acommon loading and unloading station.

In the case of an advantageous development of the invention, the twoparts of the processing chamber can initially be moved independently ofone another. While the one part carries out a movement with thetransporting device in one movement position, the other part can carryout a movement relative to the movement plane of the part, whichextends, for example, transversely to the first plane. These movementsend in the stationary station in the working position of the processingchamber. By these means, a considerable shortening of the subsidiarytimes is achieved. Furthermore, in the case of the invention, theworkpiece need be moved only in one movement position, for example, in ahorizontal plane. It does not have to be raised or lowered. With that,even heavy workpieces can be handled easily. This leads to a simpleconstruction of the transporting device and to a further shortening ofthe subsidiary times. Owing to the fact that the part for the seat forthe workpiece is present in duplicate, the operating position of theprocessing chamber can be brought about with the one part in thestationary station and the loading and unloading with a workpiece cantake place with the other part in the loading and unloading station, sothat a further shortening of the subsidiary times is achieved by thesemeans.

A further type of embodiment advantageously incorporates largerfacilities in the invention, which provide for a multi-step surfaceprocessing, such as a washing step, a rinsing step and a drying step. Inaddition, there can be even other steps, such as a pre-washing step, apre-rinsing step or a clean rinsing step. A separate processing chambercan be used for each processing step. Such a cleaning facility with manyprocessing steps advantageously is provided for a final cleaning ofobjects in order, for example, to be able to supply a workpiece to afinal installation. Due to the inventive, advantageous construction, thesubsidiary times and, with that, the cycling times of a multi-chamberfacility, can be shortened further because the workpieces, as they passthrough the cleaning facility, do not have to be shifted in the sensethat they are taken out of one processing chamber and placed in adifferent one. As a result, the transport through the cleaning facilityis simplified even for heavy workpieces and, finally, the workpieceexperiences the best possible care during transport through the cleaningfacility.

A further type of embodiment of the invention is designed for largerfacilities with three, four, five or even more processing chambers. Inparticular, the invention provides a transporting system for theworkpieces, which works in a cycled mode. Moreover, stationary stoppingstations are provided at the transporting segment of the transportingsystem. Advantageously, within the sense of the invention, dividedprocessing chambers are used. Preferably, they consist of two separateparts, a tub-like lower part and a hood-shaped upper part. At thedividing edges, the two parts of the processing chambers have seals orare constructed with sealing surfaces, which interact with the seals andare constructed so that all upper parts of processing chambers fittogether with all lower parts of processing chambers and can beexchanged for one another.

The upper parts of processing chambers are mounted at the stationarystopping stations of the transporting segment of the transportingsystem, preferably vertically above the transporting segment, and can beadjusted vertically. For this purpose, suspensions, at which the upperparts are suspended with lifting devices, are provided at the stationarystopping stations. As lifting devices, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinderscan be used, the housings of which are permanently connected with thesuspensions and the piston rods of which are connected to the fasteninglugs of the upper sides of the upper parts.

The lower parts of processing chambers are connected with a transportingdevice, which can move the lower parts cyclically on the transportingsegment. Advantageously, the lower parts are connected rigidly with thetransporting system and are moved along a transporting segment specifiedby the transporting system. The transporting segment can be circular orstraight.

At least one seat or one holding device for at least one object is builtinto the lower parts of processing chambers. The seat can be constructedso that it be can rotated or swivelled, so that the object can be movedduring the processing with a processing medium, such as a cleaningliquid.

The lower parts and the upper parts of the processing chamber face oneanother with their open sides, so that upper parts and lower parts canbe assembled in the stopping stations and transferred into the workingstations. This is accomplished by actuating the lifting devices, whichpress the upper parts firmly onto the lower parts and bring about orassemble a hermetic connection in such a manner, that there is shieldingfrom the environment.

In the working position of the processing chambers, the workpieces areprocessed with the processing medium. During the processing, theworkpieces are moved, so that a good effectiveness of the processingmedium is achieved all around.

Advantageously, a different surface treatment takes place in eachprocessing chamber. For example, in a first processing chamber, thepreliminary washing of the workpiece can be carried out. For thispurpose, facilities are built into the upper part, the lower part or theupper part and the lower part. With these facilities, the processingchambers can be flooded with cleaning liquid. Coarse processing residuesare removed in this liquid bath by the movement of the workpiece.Alternatively, spray nozzles can also be used, with which the cleaningliquid is sprayed onto the workpiece. A dry cleaning process, for whichthe workpiece is blasted with compressed air, can also be provided as apreliminary cleaning process.

In a further processing chamber, a final cleaning takes place. With thisfinal cleaning, the workpiece is processed, for example, with a cleaningliquid under high pressure. At the same time, deburring of the workpiecemay also take place. If it is formulated on an aqueous basis withsurface active substances, the cleaning liquid may contain detergentsand, if it is formulated on a hydrocarbon basis, it may containsolvents.

Preliminary rinsing can take place in a further processing chamber andthe main rinsing by an immersion method as well as by a spraying methodcan take place in a subsequent processing chamber. Still-adheringresidues of cleaning liquids can be freed from the workpieces here.Finally, in a further processing chamber, the workpieces can be dried.This can be accomplished by introducing a current of air, advantageouslya current of warm air, of an installed radiant heating system, forexample, infrared heating, or by vacuum drying. All of these types ofprocessing are known and can be employed for the inventive constructionof the cleaning facility. Of course, other methods of processing, suchas steam cleaning or steam drying or super-clean rinsing, can also beprovided. The number of processing chambers depends on the nature andextent of the processing steps. For each processing step desired, theinvention permits stationary stations to be provided with processingchambers, for example, cleaning facilities with up to eight to tenstationary stations.

Workpieces are transferred from one station to the next cyclically andsimultaneously. When the processing phases in the individual processingchambers are concluded, all units for operating the processing chambersare stopped, the processing medium is discharged from the processingchambers and, if necessary, pressure is equilibrated. The liftingdevices can then be actuated and the upper parts separated from thelower parts, that is, lifted from the lower parts, so that theconnection is severed. After that, the transporting system can beactivated, so that all lower parts are transported with the workpiecesto the next stationary station.

In this secured position, the upper parts at the stationary stations arethen actuated and brought into the working position. This process isrepeated until the workpieces have passed from the first station of thecleaning facility to the last station.

The loading and unloading of the lower parts with workpieces can takeplace at stopping stations. These are stopping stations for the lowerparts, at which there are no upper parts at the transporting segment.This construction is particularly suitable for a circular or U-shapedtransporting segment, the empty stations for loading and unloading beingplaced at the free ends of the legs of the U.

In the case of a transporting system, which is constructed as acirculating system, that is, which has a circular transporting segment,the loading and unloading stations can be inserted between twostationary stations with upper parts. For this purpose, theabove-described empty stations are provided. In this case, the number oflower parts of the transporting system exceeds the number of upper partsat the stationary stopping stations by two, namely an empty station forloading and an empty station for unloading the workpieces.Advantageously, the two empty stations are directly next to one another.

Advantageously, the loading station and the unloading station can beconnected to a manufacturing line for the workpieces, which iscontrolled in a fixed cycle operation. The workpieces can also be largermachine parts, such as engine blocks, which must be subjected to acleaning operation, possibly with subsequent drying, after or betweenindividual manufacturing steps, in order to remove adhering processingresidues of an oil-containing or fat-containing nature, or solidmetallic or non-metallic particles, such as shavings or chips. Acirculating transporting device has the additional advantage that itsintegration into the manufacturing line does not result in a significantspatial elongation of the manufacturing line. Instead, it can be placedlaterally offset next to the manufacturing line, in which case themanufacturing line is interrupted and the corresponding end section ofthe manufacturing line is connected functionally with the loadingstation and the corresponding starting section of the manufacturing lineis connected with the unloading station. Removal from the manufacturingline and transfer to the cleaning facility and removal from the cleaningfacility and transfer to the manufacturing line can be accomplished withsuitable handling equipment or robots.

Advantageously, the transporting system is constructed as a one-columnfacility, which has arms or brackets, corresponding to the number oflower parts present. The arms or brackets protrude by the same lengthfrom the column and are disposed at equal distances from one another.The lower parts of processing chambers are connected to the free ends ofthe arms or brackets. Advantageously, at least one rail, on which thelower parts are supported by rollers, is laid concentrically around thecolumn. With that, the forces, transferred by the upper parts, can beabsorbed at least partially by the rails. The transporting system can bedriven centrally over the column or by individual driving mechanisms ofthe rollers. Alternatively, the arms or brackets can be mounted movablyat the column and swivelled up and down with lifting devices, in orderto assemble the complete processing chamber.

In order to be able to move the workpieces during the individualprocessing phases, the seats for the workpieces in the lower parts canin each case be coupled with an external driving mechanism. For thispurpose, driving mechanisms with coupling elements are mounted on eachstationary stopping station with upper parts and connected in theinactive position of the lower parts with external coupling elements ofthe seats. This can be done automatically.

For disposing of processing medium or for blowing the processing mediumout of the processing chambers, collecting containers can be mounted atthe stationary stations with upper parts and the lower part has drainconnections, which can be closed off and empties into the Collectioncontainer.

From the collecting containers, the processing medium such as thecleaning liquid, can be removed with a pipeline and fed once again tothe processing chamber for processing the workpieces. Advantageously,this is done with interposing a purifying device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in greater detail by means of examplesillustrated in the drawings, in which

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a cleaning facility;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a different embodiment of the cleaningfacility; and

FIG. 3 shows a section through the cleaning facility along the line A-Bof FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The cleaning facilities, shown diagrammatically in the Figures of thedrawings, are intended for surface treatments, such as cleaning,flushing and drying industrial workpieces 1, for example, engine parts,such as engine blocks, transmission housings, cylinder heads, etc.

In the Figures of the drawings, only those components of the cleaningfacility are shown, which are absolutely essential for an understandingof the invention. All other components may have a known structure andare therefore not described in greater detail. Identical functionalparts have been provided with the same reference numbers in the Figuresof the drawings.

FIG. 1 of the drawings shows the diagrammatic representation of acompact cleaning facility with a processing chamber 8 for processing theworkpieces 1, which can be assembled from parts 13; 26, which are shownin the opened position in FIG. 1. Of the parts 13; 26, part 26 isconstructed as the upper part and part 13 as the lower part. The upperpart 26 is fastened to a projecting arm 37 of a lifting device 38 andhas built-in facilities 30 for supplying the processing medium. Thesefacilities 30 can be spraying nozzles for spraying cleaning liquid orone or more air showers, with which the workpiece 1 is blasted withcompressed air in the working position of the processing chamber 8.

The upper part 26 is rigidly fastened to the arm 37 and can be shiftedwith the lifting device 38 in the direction of the double arrow. Thelifting device 38 is constructed as a gallows-like mast, which can belengthened or shortened. The gallows-like mast can be a column, whichcan be adjusted hydraulically or pneumatically.

The lower part 13 of the processing chamber 8 is shown in FIG. 1 in aposition, in which it is aligned with the upper part 26. When thelifting device 38 is actuated, the upper part 26 is lowered onto thelower part 13 and both parts are assembled into a complete processingchamber 8. The edges of upper part 26 and lower part 13 may havecomplementary sealing surfaces, which bring about a hermetic sealing ofthe processing chamber 8. A seat 18 for a workpiece 1 is built into thelower part 13. It is constructed so that it can be rotated or swivelledand is coupled with a driving mechanism 39 disposed at the transportingdevice 9; 10.

The transporting device 9; 10 consists of a column 9 with twodiametrically projecting arms 10. The transporting device 9; 10 iscoupled with a driving mechanism 11 and can be rotated. At each of thearms 10, a lower part 13, each with a seat 18, is fastened. Each seat 18is coupled with a driving mechanism 39, which is located at thetransporting device 9; 10. In FIG. 1, a position of the transportingdevice 9; 10 is shown, in which the lower part 13, as already mentioned,is in a position aligned with the upper part 26 and a further lower part13 is brought into a loading and unloading position. In the region ofthe loading and unloading position, a loading and unloading station 7 a;7 b is formed, where a workpiece 1 is inserted by a belt, which is notdescribed further, such as a conveyor or a transporting belt of amanufacturing line, into the seat 18. When the processing of theworkpiece 1 in the processing chamber 8 is concluded and the processingchamber is in the open position shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece can beinserted by the belt in the seat 18 and, subsequently, the transportingdevice 9; 10 turned through 180°. In the turned position, the untreatedworkpiece 1 from the belt is then in the closed position of theprocessing chamber 8 and the treated workpiece 1 from the processingchamber 8 is in the loading and unloading position and can be placeddown on a further belt for removal. By actuating the lifting device 38,the processing chamber 8 can be closed and brought into the workingposition. In the bottom of the two lower parts 13 of the processingchamber 8, there is a drain connection 17 with a sealing cap, which isnot shown. The used processing medium, such as the cleaning liquid, isdischarged through the connection 17 into a collection tank 33, which isbelow the processing chamber 8 at the lifting device 38. The cleaningliquid can be supplied over pipeline 32 once again to the upper part 26,advantageously with interposing facilities for reprocessing the usedcleaning liquid. The lower parts 13 of the processing chamber 8 can havethe same construction.

For the cleaning facility of FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, theworkpieces 1 from a finishing line, belt 2, are deposited with the helpof handling equipment or robots, which are not shown, and inserted inthe cleaning facility and, at the outlet of the cleaning facility,removed with the aforementioned handling equipment and returned to theproduction line, belt 3.

The individual components of the cleaning facility are attached or builtonto a load-bearing rack construction 4. In particular, the cleaningfacility consists a horizontal system 5 for the workpieces 1, which canbe controlled in a cycled operating mode, and has stationary stoppingstations 7 at the transporting segment 6 of the transporting system 5.Furthermore, there are four divided processing chambers 8, in which theindividual processing steps are carried out.

As shown in FIG. 2, the transporting system 5 is intended for a circulartransporting segment 6 and is constructed as a single column system. Sixradially protruding arms 10 of equal length are disposed at an angle of60° to one another at a rotatably mounted column 9. The latter is drivenby a geared motor or a stepping motor 11. In the first case, thetransporting steps or cycles are controlled by switching the motor onand off, for example, over limit switches. The transporting segment 6consists of two rails 12, which are laid concentrically about the column9 with a certain track width. The arms 10 are mounted at the column 9 ata functional particular height above the rails 12 and their free endsextend approximately up the inner rail 12.

Viewed from the center of the column 9, the stationary stopping stations7 are disposed around the transporting segment 6. There is a total ofsix stopping stations 7, which lie in a plane of division that coincideswith the six arms 10, so that all the arms 10 can be controlledprecisely with each working cycle in a stopping station 7. There arefour stationary stopping stations 7 for the surface processing of theworkpiece 1 and two stations 7 a for the loading and 7 b for theunloading. Fewer or more stopping stations can be provided. The numberof stopping stations 7 depends on the nature and extent of theprocessing steps.

At the front ends of the arms 10, the lower parts 13 of the processingchambers 8 are rigidly attached and reinforced by struts. All lowerparts 13 can have the same structure. The lower parts 13 are constructedas open containers or tubs and each equipped with a bottom 14 and anopen side 15, which is opposite to the bottom and has a straight edge,which forms a sealing surface 16. A drain connection 17 with a sealingcap, the details of which are not given, is disposed in the bottom 14.The processing medium can be discharged through the drain connection 17in a manner, which will be described in greater detail below.

A seat 18 for the workpiece 1 is built into the lower part 13. The seat18 has holding devices for the workpiece, the details of which are notgiven. The holding devices hold the workpiece 1 during the transport orduring the processing.

As shown in FIG. 2, the seats 18 are built into the lower parts 13 inthe extension direction of the arms 10 and have supporting legs, thedetails of which are not given and which extend parallel to and at adistance from the opposite side walls of the lower part 13 and aremounted rotatably in the lower parts 13 with two trunnions 19. For thispurpose, there may be trunnion seats at the side walls of the lowerparts 13, or the trunnions 19 may be taken through the side walls to theoutside, forming a seal, and inserted and supported on the one hand, ina bearing at the end face of the arms 10 and, on the other, in a bearingseat 20 mounted outside at the side wall. The end of the trunnion 19protrudes out of the trunnion seat 20 and has a coupling element 21. Ateach of the stopping stations 7, a stationary driving mechanism 22 witha coupling element, which fits the coupling element 21, is set up. Thedriving mechanism 22 can be coupled with the seats 18 in the stoppingstation 7 and can be caused to rotate or oscillate.

As shown in FIG. 3, the lower parts 13 at two opposite sides aresupported by rollers 24 on rails 12. The track width of the rails 12corresponds to the radial distance between the rollers 24. A roller 24is supported at each end of the arms 10 and at the trunnion seats 20.For this purpose, roller suspensions are provided, the details of whichare not described. The transporting system 5 also has a drivingmechanism 11 for the lower parts 13 and, in the stopping stations 7, adriving mechanism 22 for each of the seats 18. The lower parts 13 can betransported step by step from station to station with the drivingmechanism 11 and coupled, rotated or swivelled with the drivingmechanism 11 for the seats 18.

Suspensions 25, to which the upper parts 26 of the processing chambers 8are fastened, are present at the stopping stations 7 at the rackconstruction 4. The upper parts 26 are constructed as hoods and can belowered and raised by the lifting devices 27. Pneumatic or hydrauliccylinders, which are fastened to the suspensions 25, function as liftingdevices 27. As shown by FIG. 3, the upper parts 26 are connected withthe hood roof to the lifting device 27 and, with their open sides 28,face the open sides 15 of the lower parts 13. Like the lower parts 13,the open sides 28 have straight edges, which have seals 29, which fittogether with the sealing surfaces 16 of the lower parts 13. The parts13; 26 fit together so well, that a watertight, spray watertight,droplet watertight, splashproof, airtight, dust-tight, pressure-tight orthermally insulating connection is brought about, depending on therequirements of the type of process, to which the workpieces 1 aresubjected. The connection need fulfill only one but can fulfill alltypes of necessary tightnesses.

It is important that the parts 13; 26 fit together and supplement oneanother to form a complete cleaning chamber. In the stopping stations 7,the open sides 15; 28 of the lower parts 13 lie aligned with andopposite to the upper parts 26. Initially, the upper parts 26 are in awaiting position, which consists therein that, the distance between thelower parts 13 and the upper parts 26 is sufficiently large, so that aworkpiece 1 can be inserted conveniently into the lower part 13 or thatthe workpiece 1, protruding over the edge of the lower part 13, does notcollide with an upper part 26.

From the waiting position, the upper parts 26 can be loweredsimultaneously by actuating the lifting devices 27 and assembled withthe lower parts 13 and the working position of the processing chambers 8can be brought about. Facilities 30 for supplying the processing mediumare built into the upper parts 26. These facilities can be fittings,spraying nozzles for introducing a washing or rinsing liquid or forintroducing a compressed air jet for dry cleaning or for introducing acurrent of air for drying, or electrical heaters, steam jets or vacuumsuction valves and the like. As shown in FIG. 3, fittings for spraying acleaning liquid are built into the upper part 26 of the left chamber 8.These fittings are connected over a pipeline 31 and a pumping station 32to a collection tank 33 for the cleaning or rinsing liquid, which isstationed at the stopping station 7. According to FIG. 2, pumpingstations 32 for other stopping stations 7 are also provided andconnected over pipelines 31 a; 31 b with collection tanks 33. Avariation, according to which the collecting tank 33 is connected overpipelines to recovery facilities for used cleaning or rinsing liquid, isnot shown. The purpose of this variation is to refresh the cleaning orrinsing liquid in the collecting tanks 33 or to supply the recoveredcleaning or rinsing liquid, coming from the recovery facility, directlyonce again to the processing chambers 8. As furthermore shown in FIG. 3,at least one device, constructed as an air shower 30 for drying theworkpiece 1, is built into the right upper part 26 of the processingchamber 8. Over the air duct 34, the air shower 30 is connected over aheater 35 to a blower 36, which produces a current of air, with whichthe workpiece 1 is dried. The guiding channel 34, as well as thepipelines 31; 31 a; 31 b advantageously are flexible, in order to beable to compensate for the lifting motion of the upper part 26.

According to FIG. 2, the cleaning facility has a six-arm column 9 with adivisional scale of 60° with six lower parts 13 and four stationarystopping stations 7 with upper parts 26, which can be assembled withfour lower parts 13 into complete processing chambers 8. Two emptystations 7 a; 7 b are provided, which do not have upper parts 26. Thelargest distance between two adjacent upper parts 26 here is three timesthe divisional scale (180°) of the six-arm column 9. The station 7 aserves for loading the lower parts 13 with workpieces from the belt 2and the station 7 b serves for unloading the lower parts 13 onto thebelt 3 of a manufacturing line. The loading and unloading stations 7 a;7 b, adjacent to one another in one (60°) divisional scale of thesix-arm column 9, are disposed separated from one another and in eachcase removed by one divisional scale (60°) from the next stationarystopping station 7.

The mode of operation of the cleaning facility is as follows. FIG. 2shows a momentary state in the course of a processing cycle. A workpiece1 has just been inserted from belt 2 into the lower part 13 at theloading station 7 a and a workpiece 1 has just been placed at theunloading station 7 b from the lower part 13 onto the belt 3. In thestopping stations 7, the processing of the workpieces 1 is concluded andthe upper parts 26 are brought into the outlet positions. Any cleaningliquids, still present in the lower parts 13, are stored in thecollection tanks 33. The driving mechanisms 22 are uncoupled. The column9 is turned further in the direction of the arrow by one working cycle.The empty lower part of the unloading station 7 b is then in the loadingstation 7 a, the workpiece 1 from the loading station 7 a is in thefirst stationary stopping station 7, in which a preliminary washing steptakes place, the workpiece 1, previously in the first station 7, is nowin the second stopping station 7, in which the main washing step takesplace, the workpiece 1, previously in the second station 7, is now inthe third stopping station 7, in which a rinsing step takes place, theworkpiece 1, previously in third station, is now in the fourth stoppingstation 7, in which drying is carried out and the workpiece 1,previously in the fourth station, has now arrived in the unloadingstation 7 b. This working cycle is completed and the lower part 13, nowempty, can be loaded once again from belt 2 and a workpiece 1 from theunloading station 7 b can be placed on belt 3.

What is claimed is:
 1. An industrial cleaning facility for processing surfaces of workpieces with a processing medium, comprising: at least one upper chamber part; a number of lower chamber parts which is at least one more than a number of the at least one upper chamber part; at least one processing chamber formed by aligning together respective open sides of the at least one upper chamber part and one of the number of lower chamber parts, the at least one chamber including facilities for supplying the processing medium; a seat for at least one workpiece disposed in each of the lower chamber parts; the at least one upper chamber part each being maintained disposed at a stationary station whereat the at least one processing chamber is formed for processing workpieces by aligning together respective open sides of the at least one upper chamber part and one of the number of lower chamber parts; and a transporting device for transporting the lower chamber parts between a loading and unloading station and the stationary station such that at least one of the at least two lower chamber parts is at the stationary station forming the at least one processing chamber while at least another one of the at least two lower chamber parts is at the loading and unloading station.
 2. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, wherein: the at least two lower chamber parts include three lower chamber parts which have seats for accepting workpieces; the loading and unloading position includes a loading position and an unloading position; and the transport device positions the another one of the three lower chamber parts at the loading position and while positioning yet another one of the three lower chamber parts at the unloading position.
 3. An industrial cleaning facility for processing surfaces of workpieces with a processing medium, comprising: several upper chamber parts; a number of lower chamber parts which is at least one more than a number of the upper chamber parts; several processing chambers, each of the several processing chambers formed by aligning together respective open sides, which fit together, of the several upper chamber parts and ones of the number of lower chamber parts, at least one of the processing chambers including facilities for supplying the processing medium; the lower chamber parts having built-in seats for in each case at least one workpiece; a transporting device for transporting the lower chamber parts between a loading and unloading station and stationary stations, the lower chamber parts being fastened at equal distances from one another on the transporting device and transported simultaneously and stepwise; the upper chamber parts being mounted and maintained on the stationary stations each of which is maintained disposed on a fixed transporting segment of the transporting device; the lower chamber parts being transported by the transporting device so as to be moved into positions aligned with the upper chamber parts mounted at the stationary stations and thus transferred into working positions of the processing chambers; a number of the lower chamber parts, transported by the transporting device, exceeding by at least one a number of the upper chamber parts disposed at the stationary stations, and the transport device transporting the lower chamber parts such that several of the lower chamber parts are at the stationary stations forming the several processing chambers while remaining ones of the lower chamber parts are stopped at the loading and unloading station.
 4. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, wherein the seats are constructed to be rotated or swivelled.
 5. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one upper chamber part is shifted at least with respect to height in relation to the lower chamber parts to form the at least one processing chamber.
 6. The industrial cleaning facility of one of the claims 1 and 2, wherein the facilities for supplying the processing medium are built into the at least one upper chamber part.
 7. The industrial cleaning facility of one of the claims 1 and 2, wherein a plane of division of forming the at least one processing chamber extends horizontally.
 8. The industrial cleaning facility of one of the claims 1 and 2, wherein the lower chamber parts are tub shaped and the at least one upper chamber part is a hood disposed at the stationary station.
 9. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, wherein the lower chamber parts are constructed identically.
 10. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 3, wherein the number of the lower chamber parts transported with the transporting device exceeds by two the number of the upper chamber parts of the processing chambers at the stationary stations and the loading and unloading station includes a loading station and an unloading station whereat two of the lower chamber parts not forming the processing chambers are transported to.
 11. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 3 or 10, wherein the stationary stations are two in number and support the upper chamber parts, of the several processing chambers, which are aligned with the lower chamber parts to form the several processing chambers at the stationary stations of the transporting device.
 12. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 3 or 10, wherein the stationary stations are three stationary stations, each with ones of the upper chamber parts for forming the processing chambers, and the lower chamber parts are five lower chamber parts.
 13. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 3 or 10, wherein the stationary stations are four in number each with ones of the upper chamber parts and act together with the lower chamber parts which are six in number.
 14. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, wherein the transporting device is constructed as a circulating transporting device.
 15. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, wherein the transporting device has the lower chamber parts attached to projecting arms extending from a column.
 16. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, further comprising facilities for discharging the processing medium built into the lower chamber parts.
 17. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, further comprising collection tanks for the processing medium disposed at the at least one stationary station.
 18. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 17, wherein the collection tanks connected via pipelines to the at least one upper chamber part for collecting and supplying the processing medium.
 19. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 17, wherein the collection tanks are connected via pipelines with recovery facilities for the processing medium once used.
 20. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, wherein the lower chamber parts transported by the transporting device are in each case supported by at least one roller device.
 21. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 20, wherein the rolling devices are guided on a rail disposed concentrically about a column from which the upper chamber parts are supported.
 22. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, wherein the seats are built into the lower chamber parts and, in each case, coupleable with a driving mechanism disposed in the at least one stationary station.
 23. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, wherein the at least one upper chamber part is fastened to a projecting arm of a lifting device for forming the at least one processing chamber.
 24. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, wherein the seats are coupled with in each case one driving mechanism disposed at the transporting device.
 25. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 3, wherein the seats are constructed to be rotated or swivelled.
 26. The industrial cleaning facility of claims 3 or 10, wherein the several upper chamber parts are shifted at least with respect to height in relation to the lower chamber parts to form the several processing chambers.
 27. The industrial cleaning facility of one of the claims 3 and 10, wherein the facilities for supplying the processing medium are built into the several upper chamber parts.
 28. The industrial cleaning facility of one of the claims 3 and 10, wherein a plane of division of forming the several processing chambers.
 29. The industrial cleaning facility of one of the claims 3 and 10, wherein the lower chamber parts are tub shaped and the several upper chamber parts are hoods disposed at the stationary stations.
 30. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 1, wherein the lower chamber parts are constructed identically.
 31. The industrial cleaning facility of one of the claims 3 or 10, wherein the transporting device is constructed as a circulating transporting device.
 32. The industrial cleaning facility of one of the claims 3 or 10, wherein the transporting device has the lower chamber parts attached to projecting arms extending from a column.
 33. The industrial cleaning facility of one of the claims 3 or 10, further comprising facilities for discharging the processing medium built into the lower chamber parts.
 34. The industrial cleaning facility of one of claims 3 or 10, further comprising collection tanks for the processing medium disposed at the stationary stations.
 35. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 34, wherein the collection tanks connected via pipelines to the upper chamber parts for collecting and supplying the processing medium.
 36. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 34, wherein the collection tanks are connected via pipelines with recovery facilities for the processing medium once used.
 37. The industrial cleaning facility of one of the claims 3 or 10, wherein the lower chamber parts transported by the transporting device are in each case supported by at least one roller device.
 38. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 37, wherein the rolling devices are guided on a rail disposed concentrically about the column from which the upper chamber parts are supported.
 39. The industrial cleaning facility of one of claims 3 and 10, wherein the seats are built into the lower chamber parts and, in each case, coupleable with a driving mechanism disposed in the stationary stations.
 40. The industrial cleaning facility of any one of claims 3 and 10, wherein the upper chamber parts are fastened to a projecting arm of a lifting device for forming the processing chambers.
 41. The industrial cleaning facility of one of the claims 3 or 10, wherein the seats are coupled with in each case one driving mechanism disposed at the transporting device.
 42. An industrial cleaning facility for processing workpieces with a processing medium, comprising: at least one upper chamber part maintained at a stationary station; at least two lower chamber parts for accepting at least one workpiece apiece, wherein a total number of said lower chamber parts exceeds a total number of said upper chamber parts by at least one; said lower chamber parts being engageable with and separable from the at least one upper chamber part so as to form at least one processing chamber when engaged with ones of said at least one upper chamber part; an application device for applying said processing medium being disposed in said at least one processing chamber; a transport mechanism for moving the at least two lower chamber parts between a loading and unloading position and a processing position, said processing position being at said at least one stationary station; and an engaging device disposed at said at least one stationary station for supporting said at least one upper chamber part and engaging said at least one upper chamber part with each of said at least two lower chamber parts when ones of said at least two lower chamber parts are respectively transported to the cleaning position.
 43. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 42, wherein: the at least two lower chamber parts include three lower chamber parts, the total number of the lower chamber parts exceeding the total number of the at least one upper chamber part by at least two; the loading and unloading position includes both a loading position and an unloading position; and the transport device positions the another one of the at least three lower chamber parts at the loading position and while positioning yet another one of the at least three lower chamber parts at the unloading position.
 44. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 42 or 43, wherein the engaging device shifts the at least one upper chamber part vertically in relation to the lower chamber parts to form the at least on e processing chamber.
 45. The industrial cleaning facility of claim 42 or 43, wherein the at least one upper chamber part includes several upper chamber parts with an engaging device provided for each to form several processing chambers. 